😎🐫🎤 Christ’s peace and presence be with you.  Welcome to Lent!  Today, Ash Wednesday begins our next liturgical season.  Some conversations this time of year may sound familiar…”What are you giving up for Lent this year?”  “Do you know a good fish fry in the area?”  “I really want some chocolate.” 

Maybe it’s time to rethink our approach to Lent.  Is it really about giving something up and not eating meat on Friday?  Let me answer that for you…”No!”  It really is so much more, when we approach these traditions with a focus on using this season of penance to deepen our relationship with the Lord. 

So, where does a deeper relationship with our Lord start?  The first step is a complete examination of conscience and the gift of the sacrament of reconciliation.  Through the gift of reconciliation, we can free our minds and hearts of the sins that weighs us down, freeing those parts of ourselves to be filled with the Lord.  Our attitude plays a big part in how we work our way through Lent, in preparation for Easter.  When we shed our sins through the sacrament of reconciliation, our attitude is lifted and our spirits are lighter. 

Will they stay that way?  Knowing us humans, specifically myself, as much as I want to always choose and do good, I just don’t.  Every single one of us is human, so there is no doubt that we’ll have moments of weakness, in which we will make not so wise choices.  With this known fact, I would like to suggest that every day during Lent you do an examination of conscience.  You may be thinking…”What good will this do?”  Well, if you commit to taking the time to examine your conscience every night, God will be there with you.  You will not be doing it alone.  Every night for 40 nights you will meet with God to talk through your day.  All the good and not so good parts.  As I mentioned, you will not be doing this alone, so once you lay out your day, it’s time to listen.  God doesn’t just sit with you so you can have a one-sided conversation.  He sits with you so that He gets to know your heart and respond with grace, compassion, and guidance.

Give it a try.  After all, what have you got to lose?  And what have your got to gain? 

Bless others and be blessed.

Shelly  :0)

If the Lord has touched you in some way with His message today, I ask that you pay it forward by sharing this message, so that you and He may also bless others.  Click subscribe to receive your message every Wednesday via email.

#RyanHorton – Sit with Jesus

😎🐫🎤 Christ’s peace and presence be with you.  How does God show up and work in our lives????  Let me count the ways.  Recently we had two humidifiers stop working.  We’d had them quite a few years, so I just accepted the fact that I needed to get a new humidifier.  We found one that was an upgrade from what we previously had.  I read through the manual and came across something that seemed a bit strange.  This humidifier may cause white dust.  Before I go further, I want to share that we did not put a forced air heating and AC system in our home, because I didn’t want all the dust that those systems blow around.  After running the new humidifier a few days, it looked foggy or smokey in the house.  It was 0 degrees outside, but we had the windows open, trying to clear the air.  Our home was covered in white dust.  They weren’t kidding when they said it might cause white dust.  I cleaned up the machine, let it air dry for a few days, and returned it.  I thought, “Those fancy humidifiers aren’t worth it.”

We were running our woodstove around the clock and the air was getting pretty dry, so I went to a local store searching for a different humidifier.  One of the criteria was that it didn’t produce white dust.  Most of the boxes I read stated that it may produce white dust.  I was like, heck with this, I’m just going to get another cheap one.  My old one didn’t put out that white dust, so I purchased the same brand I had before. 

Before getting the humidifier set up, I wanted to clean our home and start fresh.  After a day of cleaning, I started running the new, new humidifier.  A couple days later, wouldn’t you know it, the air in the house was once again foggy/smokey.  GRRRRRRR!  This is ridiculous!!!  I was not happy about having to clean the whole house again.  Seriously, we haven’t had this much dust in our home the entire 27 months we’ve lived here. 

Last Saturday, I cleaned my way from the ceiling fans to the floors.  I was pretty close to being done with the floors when I notice a water puddle about the size of a lime in one of our bedrooms.  I looked up and sure enough, there was water dripping from our tongue and grove wood ceiling.

I immediately called the general contractor that is still working on the hail damage repairs on our home.  He and some other crew members showed up at our home about an hour and a half later and climbed onto our snowy roof in the dark.  Turns out that the crew that replaced our roof didn’t completely seal the ridge vent, which allowed snow and water into our attic, which dripped through the ceiling.  Let me add another side note here.  Earlier that week, the guys replaced the metal on our west wall, which is where our bathroom and laundry vents pipe through.  I washed and dried five loads of laundry that day.  Our contractor and I climbed up into the attic to take care of the wet insulation.  While up there, he discovered that when they pulled the drier vent away from the west wall, they also pulled it apart from our secondary drier fan.  Long story short, all the hot air from the drier that day was blowing right into our attic.  NOT GOOD! 

So, how does God show up and work in your life???  Well, for me and Brian, God allowed our two humidifiers to stop working, so that we would buy a replacement, which forced me to clean the entire house because of the white dust it produced, which caused me to return that humidifier and buy a second new humidifier, which also produced white dust, which once again caused me to clean the entire house, which led me to the water puddle on the floor and discover the roof leak, which lead us to the disconnected drier vent hose in the attic. 

Sometimes it’s easier to connect the God dots than others.  Keeps watching for them.  You never know when or how He will show up, but be open to His awesomeness and let Him WOW you. 

I want to say, “THANK YOU LORD, for leading me to where you needed me to be.  AMEN!”

Regarding the humidifier white dust situation, Brian researched and found out that the ultrasonic humidifiers are the ones that generally produce white dust.  I would suggest staying away from those, unless you really like cleaning your home.

Bless others and be blessed.

Shelly  :0)

If the Lord has touched you in some way with His message today, I ask that you pay it forward by sharing this message, so that you and He may also bless others.  Click subscribe to receive your message every Wednesday via email.

#TobyMac – Everything

😎🐫🎤 Christ’s peace and presence be with you.  This past week went by in a flash.  It’s hard to believe it’s already time to share with you again.  Every single one of us can look back at the events of our lives and start connecting the dots.  This action led to this reaction, which lead to these words being said, which lead to this other action.  I’m sure some of those are happier memories than others.  Paul tells us in Romans 5:1-5, about a chain reaction that God opens up to you.

1 Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,

2 through whom we have gained access by faith to this grace in which we stand, and we boast in hope of the glory of God.

3 Not only that, but we even boast of our afflictions, knowing that affliction produces endurance,

4 and endurance, proven character, and proven character, hope,

5 and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out into our hearts through the holy Spirit that has been given to us.

Affliction produces endurance.

Endurance develops proven character.

Proven character produces hope.

With all these step-by-step situations, God provides us the opportunity to grow through these steps, because He knows that we need each of the foundational elements to be able to fully receive and develop each of the gifts He gives us.  Each of these gifts are a lesson, a tool that will take us to the next level, which eventually will lead us to our eternity with our Lord.   

If the step you’re on is fun and enjoyable, Praise the Lord!

If the step you’re on is a bit clouded and unclear, Praise the Lord!

If the step you’re on is rough and you’re in need some sanding, Praise the Lord!

If you progressed to the next step, Praise the Lord!

At every step of your journey, you have reason to Praise the Lord, because that step has brought you one more step closer to your eternity with our Lord.

Bless others and be blessed.

Shelly  :0)

If the Lord has touched you in some way with His message today, I ask that you pay it forward by sharing this message, so that you and He may also bless others.  Click subscribe to receive your message every Wednesday via email.

#TobyMac&CeceWinams – Oh My Soul

😎🐫🎤 Christ’s peace and presence be with you.  My child, pay attention to what I say; turn your ear to my words.
Do not let them out of your sight, keep them within your heart; for they are life to those who find them and health to one’s whole body.
Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. 

Keep your mouth free of perversity; keep corrupt talk far from your lips.
Let your eyes look straight ahead; fix your gaze directly before you.
Give careful thought to the paths for your feet and be steadfast in all your ways.
Do not turn to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil.

I’ve been working through the Bible in a Year podcast with Fr. Mike Schmitz.  A few days ago, we read through the above passage, Proverbs 4:20-27.  It really caught my attention.  How are you hearing those words? 

Pay attention to Me.  You need to listen to Me.

OR

My Love, I have something dear to My heart that I want to share with you.

You must do exactly as I say.  It’s a matter of life or death.

OR

You will want to treasure what I share with you and refer to them often.  They will be a source of life and health in your days.

Build a wall around your heart and don’t let anyone in.

OR

From your heart, all that is within you will flow and be made know, therefore be ready to protect your heart when threats arise.

You need to talk and speak only the way I tell you to.

OR

You don’t need to use foul language to get your point across.  The clarity of your words will bring enlightenment and understanding.

Put blinders on, so you can’t see what else is out there in the world.

OR

Many distractions will try to draw you down darkened paths, but I’m directly ahead of you.  Focus on the light and walk with Me.

You have two choices, My way or the highway.  Don’t get hit by an 18-wheeler.

OR

There are many paths out there and you are free to choose the paths you want to travel.  Know that I will be with you always, no matter which path you choose. 

There will be consequences when you cross the line, so you best not even look to the right or left.

OR

Always remember, the fastest way back to your loving Father is a straight line.  Be watchful of the evil that approaches from your sides and make wise choices.

In your mind, with this passage, do you hear words from someone trying to control you or someone who genuinely cares for you and wants what’s best for you?

God loves you and only wants the best for you.  Open your heart to Him.

Bless others and be blessed.

Shelly  :0)

If the Lord has touched you in some way with His message today, I ask that you pay it forward by sharing this message, so that you and He may also bless others.  Click subscribe to receive your message every Wednesday via email.

#BibleInAYear – Fr. Mike Schmitz

😎🐫🎤 Christ’s peace and presence be with you.  God had me smiling this week as I thought about how He quietly works on us in the background and then waits for us to respond.  In the last quarter of 2025, our family of parishes ran a campaign.  As with most, our minds typically think a campaign mean someone is asking for money, but not so with this one.  Spread out over multiple weeks, we took a look at what we are involved with at the parishes, introductions to the ministries within our family of parishes, prayer for discernment, and the opportunity to submit a commitment card with our intention for involvement within the parishes for 2026. 

As I looked at the opportunities, some were interesting, but I kept coming back to one question…”Is this something I would be committed to?  I ended up not turning in a commitment card, but that didn’t mean I wasn’t committed.  Discernment can take time.

One Wednesday during Advent, I was at a friend’s parish for a women’s event.  In the background we could hear the choir preparing for Christmas Mass.  They sounded beautiful.  The joyful hymns at Christmas Mass are one of my favorite things to experience.  I turned to my friend and told her I wanted to enjoy the sounds of the choir as much as I could, because we don’t have a choir at our church, so we won’t have the typical Christmas songs experience.  And then I said…”I know, I know.  If I want something to change, I need to be willing to make a change.”

A few Sundays ago, I spoke with the organist at our parish.  I told her that I’ve been thinking about where I think I’m being called within our parish.  I asked her if she would be interested and willing to have a choir.  After a bit of discussion, she said yes, if I would organize it. 

Our parish is pretty small.  We only have around 67 registered families.  I didn’t know what kind of response we might receive when we put the choir invitation out at our pancake breakfast after Mass last Sunday.  We had 7 people sign up and they seemed to be very excited with this opportunity.  In speaking with some of them, it turns out that we have some professional signers and musicians. 

Plans and discussions are in the works and practices will begin shortly.  At this point, I think our goal will be to have Easter Sunday as our first official Mass.  I’m really excited about this.  And yes, this is something I’m willing to be committed to. 

The power of an invitation can be a mighty force indeed.

Bless others and be blessed.

Shelly  :0)

If the Lord has touched you in some way with His message today, I ask that you pay it forward by sharing this message, so that you and He may also bless others.  Click subscribe to receive your message every Wednesday via email.

#ZachWilliams – Old Church Choir

😎🐫🎤 Christ’s peace and presence be with you.  Driving home from Adoration Monday evening, my mind wandered to meeting people and things you ask, to get to know them.  You know, ice breaker kind of questions.  One question that crossed my mind was, “What are your hidden talents?”  I started thinking, “What talents do I have that most people that know me, don’t know about?” 

My mind then drifted to the Parable of the Talents, Matthew 25:14-30.  Verse 18 states, “But he who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master’s money.” 

We continue to hear about the servant who received one talent in verses 24-30, “He also who had received the one talent came forward, saying, ‘Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you scattered no seed, so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground.  Here, you have what is yours.’  But his master answered him, ‘You wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I scattered no seed?  Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest. So take the talent from him and give it to him who has the ten talents. For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance.  But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness.  In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’”

You and I were made and fashioned by God, with His talents built into our unique DNA.  Each and every talent that God chose for you and me, was chosen by God, specifically for you and for me.  God gives us these gifts to do great things for Him and to prosper in His presence.  I have come to believe that a gift isn’t fully given, until it’s fully received. 

Take a moment to think about the talents God gave to you.  What talents have you hidden from God and the rest of humanity?  I know I certainly have more than one.  But the question is, “What am I going to do, to bring those buried talents to the surface and make them known, for the glory of God?”  Some of our talents have been buried so long, we’ll have a hard time even remembering them.  Dig deep and not just in one place.  But before you start digging, have a conversation with God.  He’ll lead you back to the talents He gave you and where you buried them.  He would much rather see you use them, than take them away and give them to someone else.

Bless others and be blessed.

Shelly  :0)

If the Lord has touched you in some way with His message today, I ask that you pay it forward by sharing this message, so that you and He may also bless others.  Click subscribe to receive your message every Wednesday via email.

#RendCollective – Build Your Kingdom Here

😎🐫🎤 Christ’s peace and presence be with you.  1 Corinthians 10:31 “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.”  The evening of New Year’s Day, I was searching for a movie to watch, when I came across “Remember the Goal”.  I started the movie and it opened with this quote, “He said unto them, Give place: for the maid is not dead, but sleepeth.  And they laughed him to scorn. (Matthew 9:24)”.

 I must say, I’d never watched a movie about running a cross country race before,  but then again, that’s not what the movie was really about.  When I finished the movie, it really left me thinking.  The next day I mentioned the movie to Brian and told him that I wanted to watch it again, and asked if he would like to watch it with me.  He agreed, so a couple days later we watched it together.  I think I got even more out of the movie the second time and I wanted to write down notes about it, to assist me with planning my next four years to retirement.  One of the things I really like about this movie is that, the main character acted in humility, even though there were many opportunities for her to act in prideful ways to defend herself and her actions.  I highly recommend that you watch this movie, not only once, but at least twice.  I pray that it impacts you, as it did me.  I’ve included the link to the official movie trailer, which also includes a link to the full movie at the end of the trailer.

Bless others and be blessed.

Shelly  :0)

If the Lord has touched you in some way with His message today, I ask that you pay it forward by sharing this message, so that you and He may also bless others.  Click subscribe to receive your message every Wednesday via email.

#RememberTheGoal – Official Movie Trailer

https://www.google.com/search?q=movie+remember+the+goal&rlz=1C1OKWM_enUS766US766&oq=&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUqBggAEEUYOzIGCAAQRRg7MgwIARAuGEMYgAQYigUyBggCEEUYOTINCAMQABixAxjJAxiABDINCAQQABiSAxiABBiKBTINCAUQABiSAxiABBiKBTINCAYQABiDARixAxiABDIGCAcQRRg90gEIMjMxNmowajeoAgCwAgA&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8#fpstate=ive&vld=cid:f1fdafcd,vid:FjcgE_neMmU,st:0

😎🐫🎤 Merry Christmas!  Christ’s peace and presence be with you.  During Christmas and as we embark on 2026 it’s a perfect time to focus on family.  In the celebration of Christ’s birth, we get a glimpse of the importance of family.  The Holy family didn’t have a perfect life, but they did love and protect each other with the help and guidance of our Heavenly Father.  God sent His angels to deliver messages and allowed Mary and Joseph to choose the paths they wanted to take.  They were called to leave home for a census.  Had a baby in the process.  Were warned not to return to their home…for years…because someone wanted to kill their new born son.  And that was just the beginning.

Just like the Holy Family, God is in the midst of our daily family lives.  He gives us options, and by the grace of free will, He allows us to make our own choices.  We’ve all made some questionable turns in our lives, that have led us to roads we really didn’t want to be on.  The choices and guidance God’s giving us is not an attempt to control us, but to show us a path back to Him.  The real question is, will I listen to Him?  Will you listen to Him?  Whether we want Him there or not, God is the source of and at the center of our lives and family is important to Him.  He shows us the importance of the family in and through the Holy Trinity. 

God loves us so much and desires for us to love Him in return.  I believe it really hurts our Lord seeing how the family unit is struggling and being torn apart.  Satan is the source of the attack on families.  If we want to have peace in the world, I truly believe it has to start with the rebuilding of solid families.  Without Christ centered families, there will never be peace.  When He knocks on the door to your home, will you invite Him into your family?

Bless others and be blessed.

Shelly  :0)

If the Lord has touched you in some way with His message today, I ask that you pay it forward by sharing this message, so that you and He may also bless others.  Click subscribe to receive your message every Wednesday via email.

#TheBelongingCo feat. Hope Darst – Mighty Name of Jesus

😎🐫🎤 Christ’s peace and presence be with you.  Happy Christmas Eve!!!  As I’ve journeyed through Advent, one of the ideas I’ve found myself meditating on is the pure innocence, peace, and love that is brought forth from the infant Jesus to our world at His birth and still today.  Right next to my nativity scene, I have a crucifix.  Looking at Christ’s beaten body on the cross, I still see the innocence, peace, and love that He was at the moment of His birth.  Christ is unchanging, yet by taking the weight of my sin and your sin, He is offering us salvation and the opportunity to change. 

God the Father created us in perfection, but the weight of our sin has beaten us down and deformed us to the point that we are unable to freely and confidently stand as his originally created perfection.  Every time you and I choose to shed the weight of our sin through the sacrament of Reconciliation and more importantly by choosing not to sin, when being tempted by Satan and his demons, we are choosing the innocent, peaceful, unconditional love that God created us for. 

This Christmas season, rejoice in the innocence, peace, love, and sacrifice Christ literally died for, to offer you.  To Christ, you are worth all the suffering He accepted on your behalf.  Praise, rejoice, and glorify our Lord.  You are His child and He is offering you many gifts…although you probably won’t find them under a tree.  You must fully unwrap His gifts, if you ever want to fully receive them.  His gifts can not be fully given, until you fully receive them.

Bless others and be blessed.

Shelly  :0)

If the Lord has touched you in some way with His message today, I ask that you pay it forward by sharing this message, so that you and He may also bless others.  Click subscribe to receive your message every Wednesday via email.

#ChrisTomlin – Indescribable

😎🐫🎤 Hi All. Christ’s peace and presence be with you.  This week I finished reading The True Meaning of Christmas by Michael Patrick Barber.  This book breaks down familiar Christmas carols, giving them new meaning, by presenting Biblical history and language of the time.  I want to share with you a portion of “Away In A Manger”, regarding

Luke 2:1-6

“In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that the whole world should be enrolled.  This was the first enrollment, when Quirinius was governor of Syria.  So all went to be enrolled, each to his own town.  And Joseph too

went up from Galilee from the town of Nazareth to Judea, to the city of David that is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David, to be enrolled with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child.  While they were there, the time came for her to have her child…”

Michael Patrick Barber shares with us, “What Luke’s presentation highlights is this: the powers that be think they are calling the shots, but God’s plan will ultimately be accomplished.  Jesus is born in the king’s hometown, as is fitting.  The pagan emperor issues his decrees for his purposes.  Unbeknownst to him, however, God uses them to make sure the Messiah is born in the right place.  In other words, even if the world does not know it, the Lord is the real King.”

We don’t have to look very far or hard to find things that we don’t understand or agree with why they are being done.  These things may not make sense to me or you, but nevertheless, they still happen.  I, as I’m sure you have also, experienced this a time or two, or more in 2025.  We may have found ourselves asking, “Why?”  Sometimes we see God’s work shining through faster than others, but it’s all about perspective.  What I think God should be doing is different than what you think God should be doing, and God could have a very different take on it than both of us.

God has a masterful way of turning our doings into His glory.  It would certainly be a lot easier if I would just listen to Him and do as He guides me, but sometimes our best lessons learned are the ones in which we failed to some degree.  But then again, if we learn from our failures, is it truly a failure?  I experienced that last week at work.  I actually thanked my supervisor for not jumping in to correct me, but letting me fall a bit, so that I could gain better perspective. 

Where/How are you seeing and experiencing God working His glory in the midst of our human control?  Praise God and thank Him that your heart and eyes are open to Him.  Keep seeking Him and He will continue to open your eyes.

Bless others and be blessed.

Shelly  :0)

If the Lord has touched you in some way with His message today, I ask that you pay it forward by sharing this message, so that you and He may also bless others.  Click subscribe to receive your message every Wednesday via email.

#MichaelPatrickBarber – The True Meaning of Christmas

#NatKingCole – Away In A Manger